Published: May 12, 2008 10:35 am         

Cards collar Panthers

South Laurel blanks Knox Central, 4-0

South Laurel used three pitchers to five-hit visiting Knox Central in a 4-0 Cardinal win Friday night.

Matthew Martin, Nick Snyder and Ryan Woody combined to toss the shutout and lift South Laurel to 18-11 on the season. Knox Central falls to 15-9.

“We’re getting close to tournament time, and I didn’t want to over-throw anybody,” Coach Wynn Harris said of using the three pitchers. “All three gave Knox Central didn’t looks, and that didn’t give them a chance to get set on one guy.” The game was originally scheduled to be played at Knox Central, but had to be moved to South Laurel when Central’s field was too wet to play on.

Martin started the game, and went three innings, allowing three hits while striking out six to pick up the win. Snyder pitched the next two innings, striking out two and allowing just one hit. Woody came in for the final two innings, allowing one hit while fanning two.

“They all did a good job,” Harris said. “They all threw strikes.”

The Cards got their first run in the bottom of the first when, with one out, Chris Adams was hit by a Jacob Scalf pitch, but was forced at second on a grounder by Woody. Matthew Peters then singled to right, followed by a single up the middle of the bat of Luke Rakestraw that scored Woody for a 1-0 lead.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth, when South Laurel added another run off Scalf to make it 2-0. Ricky Bowling singled to lead off the inning, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Martin.

Two more South Laurel runs came across the plate in the bottom of the sixth as Rakestraw led off with a double and scored on a single by Michael Hammonds. Hammonds later scored on a Martin single to right to make the final 4-0.

“We beat a really good pitcher tonight,” Harris said. “Knox Central is going to be a tough team in their district and the region tournament. Overall, I feel better, but we still have to get a lot better. We’re not quitting just because it’s the last week of the regular season.”

The Cardinals will host Lincoln Co. tonight and travel to face Lexington Christian Tuesday night.



South Laurel 4, Knox Central 0

Knox Cent. 000 000 0—0 5 1

South 100 012 x—4 8 1